Pretty much been housebound since 2018. I can walk short distances, but large stores like a grocery store or a Home Depot were out of reach unless they had their own scooters available, which were often broken, or un-charged.
Malls were out entirely. City centers? Not a chance.
Yes, and at the same time I went with thin wool socks too. And I’m in Texas where it’s hot and humid too. Wool socks were a game changer, they don’t hold onto moisture like cotton and synthetics do.
Didn’t want to be a shill, but I got a bunch of medium thick wool socks from Darn Tough and sweaty wool socks are a lot nicer than sweaty cotton/poly socks.
I highly recommend one with a heated seat if you've got a reasonably accessible power outlet nearby. Just be aware that it will totally spoil you and make pooping away from home even less fun than it already is.
Not specifically mine but definitely that of my wife: a company called Beurer in Germany makes this little tool with a small ceramic plate that you can heat. Press the hot thing against a mosquito bite and not only does the itch go away, the actual inflammation is diminished. For 20 euros one of the best impulse buys I ever did.
We've also put in an order for an electric bicycle which I think will lead to us leaving the car now often.
I looked up the bug bite thing. Im glad that someone paid attention to the way most proteins in bites/stings break down if heated. I bet it works pretty good
This is probably going to be life changing for my wife and daughter. They’re both super reactive to mosquito bites to the point of not wanting to be outside. Luckily, we live where there are only flies and moths so most of the time at home this is literally not a problem. However, when camping in the mountains it can be. Thanks for the tip!
My partner is also allergic to mosquito bites and he got a HeatIt and it was life-changing. He previously had to stay home and permanently ice his bites to not get blood poisoning and was in huge pain, but now since it's always with him on his keychain, he can treat the stings right away before they get too bad and can go out and do pretty much everything now. He still needs to treat the stings regularly, but it's so much more portable and accessible than the ice packs he used before.
Compared to the larger devices like BiteAway, it performs a bit worse and it's a bit pricey and the durability is kinda shit, but the fact that it's always on him and ready to use (as long as you bring your keys and phone), he can treat the bites right away on the go, which makes a huge difference in effectiveness.
You can achieve the same thing with a metal spoon dipped in hot water, like after stirring a fresh cup of tea. It should be hot enough to hurt but not to burn/damage your skin. I've been doing this trick for ages and it works every time :)
I suffer from eczema pretty badly so I always have some sort of cortisol cream nearby. They clear up any bug bites quickly. Luckily, mosquitos prefer my wife's blood over mine.
African ground nut stew is my favorite recipe. This set of instructions is for stovetop, for pressure cooker, I just throw it all but the peanut butter and hot sauce, which are to be stirred in after high pressure. 25 minutes on high pressure.
8-10 chicken thigh
Large can of diced tomato
Small can of tomato paste
1 large onion
2 medium carrot
2 stalks celery
8 mushrooms or 2 cans of sliced mushroom
1 or 1.5 cup stock chicken
2.5 tbsp peanut butter
Hot sauce optional
3 clove garlic
instructions:
prep:
dice the onion
peel and chop the carrot/celery
Clean and slice mushrooms
mince garlic or one small spoon worth of pre minced
cut chicken into small pieces to quickly cook or cut thigh in two or breast into three if you want bigger chunks
cooking:
put olive oil in large fry pan on high
add onion,carrot, and mushroom cook until onion is getting soft
then add chicken and garlic keep everything moving around so the onion and mushrooms don't burn
when the chicken is half cooked (white on the outside 50% or so) then add both cans of tomatoes (paste and diced) and stock
let simmer for 20-25 mins so the tomatoes break down and chicken finishes cooking, stirring every few minutes
add peanut butter in 1/2 tbsp at a time to the pan and mix in with the liquids
add salt and pepper approx for 2 more minutes making sure not to let the sauce burn on the bottom
Add hot sauce to taste.
serve over rice
Interestingly, a good pair of noise canceling in ear headphones. I have ADHD, and being able to block out the world to focus on what I need to do is a godsend.
It depends on if you’re on Android or Apple. The Bose Earbuds 2 and the Apple Airpods Pro 2 trade blows pretty well, both in noise canceling and sound quality. I personally prefer the sound stage of the Apple ones but if actually care about stuff like that, I pull out my cans.
An e-bike. I used my regular bike for errands but the e-bike just made it so much easier to pedal in high winds or when I was hauling my trailer full of groceries. Plus it increased my range because I knew I could go farther in the same amount of time. I bought a class 1 e-bike so I always have to pedal, like a normal bike. Because I use it more, I think I actually get MORE exercise despite the assist. I really love it.
I live in a cycling-mad but very hilly place. They love it here. To give you an idea of the massive impact ebikes have had, the average cyclist age has jumped up twenty years in the last few years.
It's not unusual to see octogenarians blasting up hills now. They've been absolutely revolutionary
A lot of people make fun of me for having an ebike "it's not proper cycling etc", but they all want to ignore the fact that without it, I would be driving (as they are).
Yeah, it's pretty BS. No one would ever make fun of someone driving a car for not being 100% human powered.
I will say that the only time I get a little uptight about ebikes is when I come across them on trails/paths that are designated for non-motorized traffic only. Somehow people think that motorized only means combustion engines.
While I wouldn't recommend this avenue… A trip to the ER and a 2 week quarantine stay at the hospital. I had pancreatitis that was suspected to be caused by a contagious virus? Idk after I was placed in my room I wasn't allowed visitors and I was pretty isolated aside from blood draws every 4 hours. Cliché but it allowed me to reflect on my life and identify faults in myself and devise ways to become a better.
Still working on a lot of things, but comparing myself to me 6 months ago, I feel amazing about my growth that I don't think I could have otherwise achieved without this major life event. :)
God that sounds SO expensive (then again, maybe you don't live in the US come to think of it).
I went to the ER for a simple second-degree burn on my hand. All they gave me was a bandaged-up hand, some ointment, and a crisp high-five (on my other hand).
Cost me $600 after insurance. And the sad part is I have decent insurance for my area.
Years ago when I was on Medicaid I spent about 2 weeks in the hospital. They took my appendix out and after looking at it and running some tests found out that I had some rare parasite. I was in excruciating pain at the time, throwing up blood a few times a day and just withering away. There was a pill that I was waiting to get that would've killed the parasites which could've been given to me after my 4th day there when they confirmed what I had. I spent the rest of the 2 weeks being doped up on morphine and an array of fluids until I couldn't take it anymore and left the hospital 'AMA'.
I went to a different hospital and got the medicine I needed almost immediately.
I did throw up again though when I got a ~$60k bill from my 2 week stay at the first hospital. Again they took out my appendix, ran some test, and pumped me with opiods for 2 weeks without treating my actual issue.
A semi-professional portafilter espresso machine paired with a great grinder.
I can make coffee at home that’s better than what’s being served in most cafés and I can just have that for breakfast every morning. Felt like quite the quality of life improvement.
I don't do the espresso machine, but the Baratzza Encore for my pour over or Aeropress has been one of my best food/beverage investments. Between that and a bag of different single origins beans a month almost makes getting up for work bearable! 😄
My style, exactly! But even my $20 grinder works wonders compared to pre-ground coffee. I've thought about updating that component but I make pretty good coffee as is.
Gym membership. Previously I was doing some working out on my own, but it's nice to get out, and easier to bring friends along.
I did the typical thing: first week of January signed up to the YMCA and committed to a couch-to-5k, and have to admit I'm feeling a lot lot lot better.
...up until now, I actually thought that we were friends. I guess all those deep meaningful convos we had whilst playing Burnout2 and drinking diet Dr Pepper meant nothing to you...
The first means no more clogged toilets, no toilet paper needed, and a fantastically clean ass always.
Also comes with side benefits like being able to eat the hottest foods imaginable, not getting hemorroids or healing those ones you may already have, being able to wipe your ass with two broken wrists (if you mountain bike or are old), not getting forever chemicals on your asshole, and having an ass that your SO won't think is disgusting.
A commuter ebike, because it allows you to travel 1-45 miles stupidly easy, which saves a staggering amount of money on gas (uses pennies of electricity), parking fees, and wear and tear on your car. Side benefits include not being absolutely enraged in traffic, occasionally beating your own drive times in a car, and not having parking anxiety at popular destinations such as beaches, parks, downtown shopping, or ferries. Provides a decent amount of exercise as it basically becomes an exercise bike when the assist is turned off.
It also will allow you to get up hills without getting sweaty.
Tongue scraper- removes plaque from your tongue in cakes. Way better than mouthwash. Leaves your breath much fresher after meals. Works best at night, but also can remove bad morning breath. Get a small metal one. Dramatically changes your breath quality and makes your mouth feel cleaner. Great if you plan on doing some kissing.
I bought the tongue scraper because when I switched to an electric toothbrush (oral-b), I felt it was not cleaning my tongue as well. Before that, using a regular toothbrush, I had no issue keeping my tongue clean and never needed the scraper. I do still like the electric toothbrush better.
It works much better. Your tongue is like velcro, so a bristle brush doesn't really get plaque out. The tongue scrapers depress the bumps and scrape everything clean.
(I have a cheap metal one so I can throw it in the dishwasher. Plaque can eventually kinda make it dirty, but the dishwasher cleans it right off without deforming it)
I got the chance to ride an ebike at a city event here and it was absolutely delightful, I hate riding a bike but this was like a dream of a bike ride, so comfortable and it actually moved forward so fast with less effort, I loved it. But I think it would be stolen so fast if I chained it anywhere. Like I could ride it to work (they let you park them inside) but not to grab groceries. And they cost as much as a small motorcycle or scooter.
They are really convenient for getting around the city! :)
I got a 12mm thick chain from Oxford and a kryptonite ulock and so far, I've been fine (I live in a high bike crime city).
It's really about making your bike unappealing to steal because of how long it would take to cut through a beefy chain in two places and a Ulock in two places. It can be done, though. I also have a bike horn that sounds if someone moves the bike.
Aventon sells ebikes starting at $1,000, and Juiced Bikes go on sale for $1,150 (they are consumer direct unless you live in San Diego). Radpower and Lectric bikes aren't too spendy, either. Ebikes are getting surprisingly affordable!
(My little electric commuter next to my traditional weekend mountain bike!)
Reusable, vacuum sealable ziplock bags. Cuts back on waste & lengthens the shelf life of most foods.
It’s also really nice to be able to buy bulk meats & be able to separate them into vacuum sealed single servings.
And last but not least, it really helps with using the sous vide. I like being able to separate a bulk package of chicken into individual meals with different marinades. Just pull a bag out & defrost it, then it’s 90 seconds a side to gourmet meals midweek.
How reusable have you found the bags to be? I recently (as in, just today) started looking into getting one, but I don't want to be constantly throwing out bags.
I’ve found that with proper care & paying attention to what I use each bag for helps.
If I use a bag say for tandoori chicken sous vide…
When the chicken’s done, I rinse the bag thoroughly, fill it to ¼, add a lil soap, seal it up, & put it back in the sous vide bath, while it’s still warm.
Let it cool off & then give it a rinse & scrub, before drying.
It’s gentler on the bag than the dishwasher, but still gets it sanitary & clean.
I’ll try to continue using that bag for chicken, if not specifically tandoori chicken.
This is where having two different colors can be helpful. I use gray for meat & blue for everything else.
Blue bags obviously last a bit longer, but this current batch of gray is a year old & still in decent shape.
Just went with a generic option. I have some that have blue zip tops & some with gray.
The one big recommendation I can make is to get one with a battery powered suction pump. They’re little bit more expensive, but the handheld pumps have broken on me in the past.
If I were you, I'd check around your area for a bike co-op. They often have great deals on used bikes they tuned up, so you'd save money and end up with something as good (or even better!) than entry-level hybrid models. Plus co-ops tend to be staffed by the hugest bike nerds who are sincerely eager to help new cyclists.
If you'd rather buy new, I'd recommend an entry-level (starting at around 600$) hybrid from any of the big bike brands (this advice is a bit location-specific, I'm talking about North America here). I ride a Trek FX1, but all the big bike brands have similarly-featured models.
Whatever you do, please stay away from cheap, big box store bikes. These are usually assembled by people who are not trained bike mechanics and shoddily assembled bikes can easily be dangerous. They also often have non-standard parts, making repairs and maintenance frustrating.
Tech to make day to day chores easier have had the largest impact for us. The automated self cleaning liter box for the cats, the cordless vacuum, the cordless electric mop (such as Tineco), electric lawn mowers (no maintenance), smart outlets and automations via home assistant.
Another big one is the RO water filter at the kitchen sink. No more bottled water. Bonus points if you get one that tells you when fillters need to be changed. So nice.
I got the new Litter Robot 4. I was worried about the price, but after 5 months with 2 cats, I love it. It scoops the litter 15 minutes after they go and keeps the smells contained really well. We change the tray about every 5 days and it takes a regular kitchen trash bag. So it’s just as easy and taking out the trash.
No regrets, money well spent
I got a Litter Robot 3 a couple years ago and its the best money I've spent in a long while. Super convenient and I haven't had any issues with it even with 2 cats.
We have the litter robot. It was pretty expensive, and can be a little quirky at times, but for the most part it’s been a real time saver.
The biggest problem is that it can get stuck while doing it’s rotation, which then requires you to intervene. It really doesn’t happen often, though. It’s had errors similar to that around 5 times or so in the past couple years. Not too bad.
We change out the turd bag around once per week. 2 cats have access 24/7, and another cat has access 12-15 hours per day.
I live in Finland and so the seasonal daylight varies from almost none in winter to always in summer. I got a smart socket connected to my grow lamps for all my plants. I used to have an analogue timer that I would have to keep changing the times on as the season progressed. The smart one now turns on when my alarm goes off in the morning and turns off an hour after sunrise, turns on again an hour before sunset and turns off at bedtime.
No messing about anymore, it's one less thing to worry about.
If people are here to receive recommendations, I'm preaching to the choir. But responding the question directly, a computer of my own. Being able to go online or work on digital stuff whenever I want to has changed my life for the better.
This is the first I've heard of this device. How fully might it replace my smartphone? I see it does messaging, photos, and has access to the Google Play Store. Does it play music? Does it render Google Maps? I love e-readers, and though while I've been impressed by the Kindle, I do detest Amazon.
I was interested in the Lightphone when it came out, but it was too pricey and I'm still going strong on my Pixel 3a. I'll need to move on someday though... Thanks for any info.
It's full Android with the Play store but wifi only, no cell modem. You can install whatever you want just like on a phone, you just can't do calls or SMS. I haven't tried Google Maps on it but I'm sure it works, although you might need to adjust things to make it look better. I've used it to send audio to Bluetooth devices but haven't tried the built in speaker, I wouldn't expect it to sound good.
Headphones to sleep with. It's a big stretchy headband with flat speakers sewn in, and it works on Bluetooth (speakers are removable with a little effort to wash the band). I've always needed stories to fall asleep, and now I can't believe how many years I spent propping my phone just-so against my ear to not bother my sleeping partner.
I know i may sound like a boomer but it's not great for your sleep quality to sleep with sounds. Im not a doctor and i don't know how it work in your country, but you could try CBD oil, doctors can prescribe it where i live.
I set a timer to turn it off after 45 minutes or so, but it's much better than not falling asleep at all. And at 3:00 when I wake up again, I set another 45 minute timer. I'm not sure what the issue would be with my sleep when I'm only listening to droning voices. Maybe if the symphony snare drum kicked in it would be disruptive, but what I listen to is almost white noise with words.
I smoke weed to fall asleep nightly. That's also very helpful.
Aer Daypack 2 work backpack. I replaced my older shoulder bag with that and it’s so much easier to carry around my work laptop, etc.
Things I love:
Protective fleece sleeve that protects the laptop
Pocket for a tablet and/or pad of paper in front of that
Plenty of smaller pockets in a separate compartment for pens, mouse, keys, etc.
Small fleece lined pocket up top to hold sunglasses, wallet, etc.
Bottle holder on the side that fits a 24oz Thermoflask with rubber bottom.
Zippers can hide in bottle pocket for security
Made out of Cordura ballistic fabric (had it on my last bag that still looks brand new after 20 years)
Shoulder strap holders
Removable sternum strap.
Top handle is made out of multi-layered silky seatbelt fabric. It’s the most comfortable handle I’ve used.
Strap on the back that can be slipped over carry on luggage handles.
Built to stand up on its own even when loaded
I freaking love the thing. Unfortunately, they no longer sell it as there is a newer model, the Day Pack 3; it adds a few things like an AirTag pocket and side handle but removes the removable sternum strap (according to one reviewer, the picture looks like the buckle can slide up and off the new strap rails), and changes the inner pocket fabric.
I will sound like a shrill, but I love everything they make. Even though the City Pack Pro X-Pac became, accidentally and relative to initial cost, the single most expensive bag I own due to my stupid brother.
I live in Europe, and you have to pay big taxes on any imports by mail. So I asked my brother if I could mail to him and he’d mail it to me, like in the old days (20 years ago or so). Sure, he says no problem, when do you need it? I say not in a hurry but leaving for a trip in like three weeks, so if it made it here by then that would be nice.
Two weeks later he texts me saying I owe him USD 120 for shipping. I said WTF? He sent it express, like an idiot. The bag costs about USD 239. So, ok fine it least I’ll have it for my trip.
Nope. Three weeks later I call the UPS center. They got my bag, all right, but I owe EUR 135 in taxes and duties. My brother - who used to know how to do these things, insured it for USD 400 and wrote on the item description “brand new back pack.” That fuckwad (whom I love, but damn bro, you grew up stupid sometimes).
Anyway even at that price it’s worth it, and it too has all the features you mention above + in X-Pac + with a contrasting interior color. I may have gone to their flag ship “store” (a tiny, tiny little store front) in SF and fanboy’ed for an hour or so before buying a small inside bag. And I may or may not have ordered two of their computer peripheral storage bags, one for me and one as a bribe/tribute to our head of IT…
Anyway, ahem. It’s the ultimate combo between a carry on bag and an (largish) urban commuter bag. /Shrill, and if anyone from Aer is reading this, a discount code maybe?
I have their duffel pack 2, I've had it since 2018 or 2019? Great for a gym-going office worker who packs lunch, doubles as a good personal item for flights. Love that bag.
A bunch of stacking prep bowls for the kitchen. Previously, I had nesting sets of glass and metal bowls, each with three sizes. I still kept the glass set for microwaving, but I gave away the set of three metal bowls. In their place, I got 8 medium bowls and 12 mixing bowls. They are great when prepping ingredients for mise en place style cooking. The mixing bowls are a bit larger, so I also use them for making salads, soaking chickpeas, and so on. It's nice to never need to scramble for bowls, but at the same time they stack perfectly so they don't take up much space. I bought extra because I am assuming the bowls with get damaged over time, but the company will eventually stop making them.
Me too! I have a stack of maybe 7 small metal bowls, and they've been amazing for prep. What are the mixing bowls you refer to? Just slightly steeper walls so nothing gets out while stirring?
The opposite, they are three quart bowls with rounded bottoms. That makes it so that food doesn't get trapped in the corners like you would get with steep walls. The medium bowls have walls that are basically straight, which is space efficient for prep.
If we are being really pedantic, a Dutch oven is a type of pot used for cooking on open fire. They used to have little legs built on so you could place it over some coals. The lid would be flat so you could put coals on top of it. That way you could use it as an actual oven to bake bread or whatever on a wood fire.
Modern people don't cook much on wood fires, but in the US, we still generally call any big cast iron pot a "Dutch oven".
Headphone desk clip that also holds videogame controller.
Holy shit my desk is orderly now.
Belt loop clip for lanyard. Guess who never forgets their ID at work?
If you're broke, get a Costco membership. I snag a chicken bake for lunch a few times a week, and I grab a rotisserie chicken to turn into chicken salad a couple times a month. Pays for itself.
A Comma 3 driver assist system for my car. I drive a lot for work, and it's an absolute game changer for driving distance as an enhancement to the stock LKAS and ACC systems. Highway miles are dramatically less strain and effort, and it makes me more able to watch the flow of traffic and keep an eye out for hazards. Their tagline is that they're "making driving chill" and it's definitely the case as long as you have a fully compatible vehicle.
When I bought my 3 it was $2200 including the harness for my car. Now the newer 3X is $1450 including harness (economies of scale!). I've been running it for 2 and a half years now and have 80,000 miles logged in my unit.
I'm using it in a 2016 Civic Touring which was their original dev car model so it's well documented and had a modification available to get necessary torque in tighter highway turns and be able to slow to and resume from stop. Other cars may work better or worse in terms of torque and ability to control speed. They have pretty extensive vehicle listings on their site and GitHub detailing the capabilities they are available depending on the car.
I don't work for Comma or anything, just am a fan of the tech and how it has allowed the controls in my car to get better over time rather than being stuck with what they shipped in 2016. My wife's 2021 CR-V has better stock driver assist than my 2016 Civic, but my Comma's assist experience today is far better than either stock system.
In the same vein, a Kinesis Advantage keyboard. I bought my first one fifteen years ago and now have two more. As a software developer, I do a lot of typing. It took some time to get used to the unusual form, but it was worth it.
Different chair, but similar experience. I got a used Steelcase leap v2 from a refurbishing company, and I absolutely love it. Used frame with upgraded hardware and new upholstery for about half of MSRP. Had a few scratches but otherwise looks like new.
If you are ever in need of another, Crandall Office Furniture is 10/10.
Something that I've learned is that it's basically built to contain steam, while an air fryer or regular oven is built to vent steam. If you are doing something like dehydrating, it basically has to run for forever to actually dehydrate things since the interior stays humid. It's easy to get around though by just leaving the door ajar by a little bit. I prop mine open with a dish towel.
It's harder when air frying cause you don't want to let all the heat out. If I'm air frying something like Brussels sprouts that have a lot of moisture, I'll just open the door a few times during cooking to let out all the steam.